A hand-crafted Santa Monica home

( Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times ) Aaron Kramer has a simple credo: "Trash is the failure of imagination." The artist, who works with found objects and castoffs, applied that philosophy to the renovation and decoration of his Santa Monica home. Plunked between a 1930s movie star mansion designed by Richard Neutra and a residence by contemporary architect Melinda Gray, Kramer's 1936 house was, he says, "a mish-mash, a blend of Cape Cod cottage with a little Santa Fe flair and New York loft details." Working with Glynn Design Build, the Kramers blew out walls, opened up ceilings and filled their home with handmade wit. Here, Kramer and daughter Ana share a moment in the living room.